HOLY FACE HISTORY AND TIMELINE


The Holy Face of Jesus from the image of Veronica's veil
(The veil is kept in St. Peters Basilica, Rome.)

A Brief Timeline of Events Relating to the Holy Face and Holy Face Devotion
 

~33 AD: Veronica wipes Our Lord's face with her veil and an image of His Holy Face miraculously appears on the veil. The relic of the veil is kept safely intact throughout the centuries.

1843-1847: Sister Mary of St. Peter, a Carmelite nun in Tours France experiences a series of revelations from Our Lord about a powerful devotion He wished to be established worldwide - the devotion to His Holy Face. The express purpose of this devotion was to make reparation for the numerous blasphemies and profanities taking place in the world but was also established as a means through which we can all appeal to God for anything we wish.

The devotion revealed by Our Lord to Sister Mary of St. Peter consists primarily of reciting the "Golden Arrow Prayer" and the "Litany of the Holy Face" (as seen on our Devotion page). It also consists of some additional prayers said with a chaplet (or small rosary) and wearing of a Holy Face Cross engraved with the words "Blessed be the Name of God" on the front and "Begone, Satan!" on the back.

1849: Shortly after the death of Sister Mary of St. Peter, Pope Pius IX ordered public prayers be offered in all churches in Rome to implore God's mercy on the Papal States due to revolution occurring at the time. As part of these public prayers, a three-day exposition of the relic of Veronica's veil was held for public veneration at St. Peter's Basilica. On the third day of the showing, a miracle occurred through which Our Lord's face on the veil became very distinct and glowed with a soft light. The miracle lasted for three hours, was witnessed by crowds of people, and was attested to by an apostolic notary during the incident.

That same evening copies of the effigy were made and touched to the relic of Veronica's veil and later sent abroad. These copies are typically noted to have a wax seal in the corner, indicating it was touched to the relic of Veronica's veil. Here are links to high resolution framed and unframed photos of one of these 2nd class relics. Feel free to print out either of these to assist you with practicing this devotion.

1849-1876: Two of the copies were sent to Leo Dupont who continued the Holy Face devotion on his own throughout the rest of his life until 1876. Leo Dupont hung one of these images in his parlor and kept a crystal oil lamp in front of it, lit continuously as a sign of veneration. Soon afterward miracles of healings started to occur to those who said the devotion with Leo Dupont ("Golden Arrow Prayer", the "Litany of the Holy Face") and who anointed themselves with oil from his lamp. These miracles continued for 30 years and were so numerous that Pope Pius IX declared Leo Dupont to be perhaps one of the greatest miracle workers in Church history!

The fact that so many first class miracles occurred through this devotion attests to the authenticity of the revelations from Our Lord to Sister Mary of St. Peter.

1885: This special devotion was also established by Pope Leo XIII as an arch confraternity; and contrary to custom, He immediately established it for the ENTIRE WORLD.

1885-1897: It was a well-known fact the St. Therese of Lisieux and her family registered as members of the Archconfraternity of Reparation to the Holy Face at Tours France and that St. Therese herself was so devoted to this that she added the title to her name at the time she took the habit. This is why you will often see her referred to as St. Therese of the Child Jesus "and of the Holy Face".

2000 and beyond: Become a part of this timeline yourself by practicing this devotion as explained on this site and by spreading the devotion to others!


To read details about Sister Mary of St. Peter's revelations and the miracles associated with Leo Dupont, please read the following books (available from www.tanbooks.com):